


White knight

by Marayena



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, starwars
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate - Freeform, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-24
Updated: 2019-07-30
Packaged: 2020-07-17 10:54:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 19,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19952233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marayena/pseuds/Marayena
Summary: Desperate she swipes right on the next three guys on her heat app, but none of them are a match. The imagined rejection stings and Rey feels like crying. How could she have gotten herself into such a fucking mess? Why her?A loud knock on the door interrupts her. She snatches her hand away and looks across her studio flat toward the door, feeling guilty even though she has no reason to, being in her own home and all. She decides to ignore it.The knock comes again.---Rey, Omega and procrastinator extraordinaire gets her heat early and hasn't had time to arrange appropriately. She is stranded at home when she get's an unexpected visit from her neighbor.(First chapter can be read as stand-alone.)





	1. Chapter 1

It’s tuesday morning and Rey is in agony. Her heat had caught her unaware almost a month early, and she’d not had time to find a proper alpha. She’d been putting it off for weeks, swiping left and left on the heat app, thinking she’d still have plenty of time, picking a guy a week or two before as usual. Such a stupid plan.

Heat was always such an awkward time. Normally, Rey didn’t mind being an omega. With today’s technology it wasn’t even something she thought about in her daily life. Most of the time. Now it was all she could think about.

Rey whines, pumping her hand fruitlessly in and out of herself, her fingers not enough to bring her off again. It had not even been 24 hours and her only toy was out of batteries. ‘An unprepared, procrastinating failure is what you are’ her brain traitorously berates. 

Desperate she swipes right on the next three guys on her heat app, but none of them is a match. The imagined rejection stings and Rey feels like crying. How could she have gotten herself into such a fucking mess? Why her?

A loud knock on the door interrupts her. She snatches her hand away and looks across her studio flat toward the door, feeling guilty even though she has no reason to, being in her own home and all. She decides to ignore it.

The knock comes again. 

Rey continues to ignore it.

A few seconds later it comes again, harder this time. With an irritated sigh she gets up to wash her hands and pull her bathrobe around her, wondering if maybe she ordered food and forgot. 

She slowly goes over to her door, cursing the lack of a peephole, and opens it a crack. 

She is met with a ghost busters logo. The logo sits on a gray t-shirt which in turn stretched tight over an impossibly large chest. She looks up. And up. And up.

He is probably the largest man Rey has ever seen, and not in a bad way. _Alpha!_ Her mind happily supplies, before she even gets a whiff of him. And when she does. Rey swallows.

“Hi.” he says. His voice is very, very, deep. Her cunt clenches and Rey feels slick starting to make its way down her leg. She hopes desperately that he doesn’t feel her scent spiking or she might as well die of embarrassment right now.

“Hi.” She manages to squeak out. He doesn’t seem to notice.

“I’m your upstairs neighbour.” he continues in that very delicious voice of his. “I’ve… uh..” He looks away from her face. His eyes are a beautiful rich brown. “I’ve smelled you.” he says quickly. “Through the window.” 

Rey goes cold with mortification. She’d had it open all night. He seems to see it in her face because he quickly continues. “I, uh.. it’s setting off my rut and I thought we might be of assistance...to each other..” 

Rey swallows her apologies, dumbstruck. The tall man stares at the door above her shoulder, his jaw tensing. She can see the exact moment her scent hits him because he stills, his rich brown eyes fixate or her mouth and his lids lower.

‘This is probably not even the stupidest thing I’ve done’ she thinks to herself. She isn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth. Or a giant, hot gift Alpha in this case. She opens the door a little wider. Rey can tell by his scent that he’s unmated, and really, what more can a girl ask for at this point?

“Are you clean?” she says in a small voice. Knowing it wouldn’t matter.

He nods. “You?” 

“Yes.”

He nods again and takes a step closer. “Good, I’m..” he looks around, making sure there’s no one else in the stairwell before continuing in a low voice. “I’m probably not going to be able to keep from knotting you,” his voice is honey and melted chocolate “but I can make an effort to…”

“That’s fine.” she breathes. This is probably the most mortifying conversation she’s ever had but she can’t really bring herself to care. _The Alpha is here! The Alpha is here for you!_ The traitorous omega part of her brain is supplying, unhelpfully.

The silences stretches a little, and then she opens her door. He’s only wearing the t-shirt and a pair of blue, plaid pyjama pants which he’s very visibly tenting. He didn’t even put on shoes. Rey can relate.

He crosses her threshold and she closes the door behind him. Then they stand there, staring at each other. He makes her small apartment look like a doll house with an oversized doll. It really shouldn’t be legal to just walk around with shoulders that broad. Or muscled. Rey’s mouth feels dry.

He hesitates, then he leans forward a bit offering his neck for her to smell. Instincts old as humanity itself. He’s still too tall for her to reach, so she puts her hands on his spectacular pecs and stands on her tiptoes. 

His scent envelops her and she feels like someone just her dipped into melted chocolate. Helplessly she breathes him in and nuzzles his neck. She can feel him exhale sharply as his hands come to her waist, then he’s lifting her, spinning her around and pinning her against the closed door with his body. His delicious lips find hers and she can hear herself moan as his tongue invades her.

“I’m sorry” he pants as his mouth travels down her neck, his hands finding their way under her robe. “I’m going to knot first thing but…” one of his large hands are pulling his own pants down and he’s already lining himself up against her opening. He’s huge. “I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”

“No…” Rey manages, and he stops immediately, his whole body trembling and his breathing hard. “No!” she says breathlessly.“I mean, knot me! _Please_ knot me! Now!” 

He shoves into her with a groan and it’s the best thing Rey has ever felt. He is large and perfect and he’s already cumming inside her. His knot is swelling rapidly and it drives her over the edge too, making her clench deliciously, and he groans into her throat. She feels him suck on her gland and she moans in response, clawing at his back.

They stay like that for minutes. A strange feedback loop of pleasure that never seems to end. His orgasms are triggering hers over and over and round it goes. She wonders foggily if she’s ever been this full of cum and shudders. The omega part of her brain is doing happy dances on the corpse of the rational part.

Finally, after a wonderful eternity, the pressure lets up a little and she feels herself sag bonelessly in his arms. He turns them around, holding in his arms her like she weighs nothing and arranges her in his lap as he slides down to sit on her ratty hall mat, his back leaning against the door. They’re both still panting hard.

She feels him press a kiss kiss to her temple and she relaxes against him. They’ll still be knotted together for another ten minutes or so. Rey isn’t sure she can look him in the eyes yes and elects to hide her face in his neck instead.

“Hey.” He says quietly, lifting her up and leaning her back so he can see her face. His full lips are a little red but his eyes are warm.

“Hey.” she replies. A little breathlessly.

“I’m Ben.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this shit is what my brain has decided is an appropriate first fic to post ever. I hope you enjoyed it. It was fun writing it.
> 
> I've got like two more chapters written out, but I don't know if I'll post them. It's all fluff and no conflict so far, but on the other hand that's what I like to read so we'll see.
> 
> Thank you  
> M


	2. Chapter 2

“I’m Ben.”

She cracks a smile. The ridiculousness of an introduction. After what they just did.

“Rey” she says, holding out her hand, trying for a mock stern face. He takes it, shakes it firmly. She can see the corners of his mouth start to twitch and she can’t help herself. She bursts out laughing. It’s absurd how relieved she is. Her stupid, helpless Omega self saved by a larger than life white knight Alpha striding into her messy, upper Brooklyn studio. A 21st century fairy tale.

Ben has pulled up his knees behind her back and is leaning her gently on them, a huge hand still supporting her neck as she gasps for breath. She smiles at him and he smiles back. It’s surprisingly not awkward.

“Is it short for anything? Rey, I mean” She wonders how he can sound so calm.

“No, it’s just Rey.” His eyes are nice, she decides. He looks intelligent. “Rey with an e.” she clarifies. He nods, not asking for a surname, nor giving his in return. His black, longish hair is falling forward over his eyes. He’s a little sweaty at the temples she notices, but she’s probably worse.

“Ground rules” she states, trying for some semblance of control in this short moment of clarity. He just raises an eyebrow. “You can fuck me and knot me to your hearts content,” his cock twitches inside her “but ask before trying kinky stuff and I don’t want it up the ass.” Rey has had more than one disturbing experience with Alphas taking liberties. If Ben is put off by her crudeness he doesn’t show it. He simply nods again.

“I don’t want to talk too much.” She continues. “The rest is par for the course. You?”

“No personal questions.” His voice is smooth and low. “I will want to feed you everything you eat, I will wash you and I don’t want you to leave this room until we’re both done.”

It really is a bit late for them to set terms. They both know they’ll stay in this room and fuck each others brains out no matter what, but it’s nice to pretend, so Rey just agrees.

“Why feeding?” she asks, just to fill the silence. It’s not something she’s experienced a lot before. His face grows a bit reluctant.

“It’s... a rut thing.” When she doesn’t answer he continues. “ I…” he stops himself. “I like to think of it as my Alpha brain really, _really_ wanting to make you pregnant. So it is of utmost importance to me that you’re not uncomfortable in any way, shape or form.”

“Makes sense.” she agrees noncommittally. Everything he wants; she’ll do it and she’ll be happy in the process. Stupid hormones. “Is that common?” she asks to distract herself .“The feeding thing. I’ve never been with an Alpha in rut before.” At this, his eyes grow dark and hungry, locking in on her lips. “What?”

“Say that again.” his voice is an intense rumble, with hint of alpha command and she feels her cunt clench and her nipples harden. Stupid body. A bit ridiculous, really.

“Say what?”

“Say that I’m the first Alpha who’s rutted with you.”

She rolls her eyes at him and he grins. Ugh, Alphas.

“Indulge me.” His voice is more than tinged with Alpha command this time and a wave of warm pleasure rushes through her knowing that she is the absolute focus of all his attention and that there is such an easy way for her to please him.

“You’re the first Alpha who’s rutted me.” she says obediently, feeling his approval as if a physical weight settles on her on her.

“Good Omega.” he praises, leaning in to let his lips explore her neck. “Such a very, very good little Omega you are.” he mumbles, nipping at the gland there and she loses herself in the sensation.

\---

They spend far, far more time connected than they do apart. Either desperately fucking in her bed (or against a wall, or her table, or on the floor) or knotted and content, resting in a comfortable haze. His knots last long but she doesn’t mind at all, his clever hands are making the time feel like nothing.

\---

“Are you hungry?” his deep voice behind her raises her out her stupor. It's hours later, maybe days. His really criminally sexy hands are slowly massaging her shoulders and she’s putty in his grip. He’s still tied in her, having fucked her hard from behind on her small kitchen table before moving them back to the messy bed. He’s letting her catch a few minutes of half-sleep in his arms before her urges wakes her up again. He is very good at taking care of her.

“Not really,” she sighs. She’s more content right now than she has any right to be.

“I want to feed you. When was the last time you ate?” His voice brooks no argument. _It is such a good Alpha voice,_ her unhelpful brain supplies.

“Yesterday morning probably.” She doesn’t know what time it is. It’s still light out. It’s not important. She really should just roll over and lick that delicious gland of his. “I’d rather eat you.”

He chuckles. “Tell me what you like to eat and I might let you before delivery arrives.”

“Honestly, I eat everything. But I’m not hungry.”

“Anything that you particularly prefer? Favorite foods?”

Rey doesn’t want to eat, but her Alpha asked her so she thinks for a moment. “Do you know the Thai place that’s like two blocks from here?”

“I can’t say that I do.” That wakes her all the way up and she twists to look at him.

“Really? You’ve never tried it? How have you missed it? It’s right there! With the big red sign?” He just smiles at her, leaning in to press a kiss on her jaw.

“I eat at work a lot. Which your favorite dish of theirs?”

“All of them. But you need to try their fried chicken with satay sauce. It is out of this world.”

He kisses her neck and moves to pull out of her. She whines a little at the loss of contact, feeling suddenly insecure and lonely.

“Shh, Omega. Shh” His huge arms envelops her and he kisses her forehead. “I’m right here.” She calms instantly. “I’ll be right back.”

“What? No!” She sits up, calm forgotten. “You can’t _go_.” He kisses her again.

“Bossy, are we Omega?” His tone is playful, but her head is in a state of absolute turmoil. The rational Rey ( _I am and I can damn well take care of myself, please and thank you_ ) wars with horny Omega Rey ( _only if you like it Alpha. I’ll be bossy for you. Anything to please you_ ) and it’s a testament to her utter stubbornness that neither side seems to win right now. So she just sits quiet, glaring at him.

He only raises an eyebrow at her outrageous expression, kisses her forehead softly and whispers. “I’ll be back in ten minutes. I just need to go get my phone.”

Rey is upset, but her traitorous, heat crazed brain desperately wants to please him, so she keeps quiet as he puts on his clothes and slips out of the apartment. It feels stupidly empty when he’s not in it any more and she feels a bit like crying.

He’s back not five minutes later, carelessly tossing a cellphone, charger, keys (did he not lock his door before?) and a couple of granola bars on her table.

“Fuck food.” he announces, gathering her up to his chest, nuzzling her neck, coating his face in her scent. All feels right again.

\---

He likes arranging her in the bed. Lifting her hips, angling her back, telling her how he likes her and praising her when she follows his lead with that deep, smooth voice of his until she is glowing with pleasure. When he cums he groans obscenities in her ears.

_Your are the best I’ve ever felt. Better than I ever imagined any Omega could possibly feel._

_I’m going to fill you so full of my cum. Every day. There will always by some if it in you. You will always smell of me. Always have my cum in you._

_Such a good Omega. You are such a good, good Omega. You can’t know how much you please me._

Even though she knows he’s as helpless as her, and that he probably doesn’t mean it, it makes her feel wonderful, and her own pleas for his praise and approval seem a little less embarrassing in comparison.

She notices that he likes putting his scent on her, rubbing the glands on his wrists along her waist, her arms, her legs. It’s not the same as true scenting, which only kicks in after a few weeks of regular sex, but it’s as close an approximation as they can get.

He wants to give her pleasure. Much more and in many more different forms than she even knew there were. He loves tasting her, licking her slowly and making her cum helplessly on his tongue and fingers. She feels a twinge of guilt that she doesn’t reciprocate but he doesn’t seem to mind at all. His warm hands are always stroking her. Sometimes feather-light, almost tickling her but always on this side of pleasure. Other times he touches her firmly and with intent, massaging muscles she didn’t realize were tense, making her feel relaxed and deliciously heavy and light at the same time. He is a constant in this storm. Always supporting her, moving her and holding her like she weighs nothing and it makes her feel cared for and safe.

When he discovers that she likes to have her head scratched, it makes her deeply conflicted. No one but Finn is allowed to touch her hair like that. Pull it, yes. But she’s never let a heat partner stroke it like that before. Nor any of her few boyfriends, not that they’d tried. It’s not a sexual kind of thing for her. It’s a ‘we’re watching a movie and touching because we’re best friends and it's close and safe’ kind of thing and she grows uncomfortable. Her tears threaten because she wants to let him, but she also doesn't want to give him that. Not that. It's too personal.

Ben’s insistence that she doesn’t need to tell him why she doesn’t want him to touch her hair makes her heart ache and the tears spill over. He tells her that she is perfect, so fucking perfect, just as she is. He holds her and hushes her and comforts her when she starts to cry in earnest, trailing kisses over her face and she wants to die from the embarrassment. The knowledge of how mortifying this will be afterwards is lodging itself deep in her heart. He doesn’t stop comforting her. Doesn’t stop holding her. He kisses her then fucks her slowly. It’s calm, but passionate and so perfect she can’t breathe as he makes her come undone again and again.

Later, he feeds her the granola bars and washes her body with a cool, wet towel and tells her that she is so good. That she is so beautiful. That she has the most wonderful scent he’s felt in his life, and that she couldn’t be any better for him if she tried. She almost believes him.

When the sun has set that night he orders them food. It’s the satay chicken and fried rice and noodles and vegetables and wontons and... So much food. Mountains of it. She’s not hungry but she eats because he asks her to. He eats enough for three and seems genuinely surprised to discover how good it is. That makes Rey feel happy. Then she feels silly about being so pleased he likes it and then she doesn’t feel much of anything at all, because Ben’s lips are so very distracting the way he licks the sauce from his fingers.

\---

On the second day, he breaks her no talking rule.

“What kinds of things do you like to do?” She can tell from his tone that he doesn’t mean sexual.

She looks up from where she’s resting her head on his spectacular chest. It’s morning, probably. Maybe night still. He’s knotted in her again, and they’re cat napping on the now downright filthy bed. “I thought I said no talking?”

“You said not talking too much, not no talking at all.” he retorts. She makes a grumpy sound and feels him chuckle under her hands.

“And what about no personal questions?” she shoots back wryly, as she lets a hand travel down to paw at his abs absentmindedly. She wonders what he does for a living. He’s absolutely shredded.

“ _I_ said no personal questions, you said nothing of the sort.” his smile softens as he places a kiss on her forehead. “We don’t have to talk if you don’t want to.”

She knows he could so easily use that Alpha command in his voice to make her want to tell him things. Things about her life and herself. During one of her first heats an Alpha convinced her to share some rather personal sexual fantasies. Then tried to act them out with her, even though they were not the kind of fantasies she wanted to experience. The results were predictably horrifying. Afterwards, Rey had hated him a bit for it, and he’d clearly resented her. It was one of her worst heats for sure.

She lies tense, waiting for him to ask her, or tell her, but he never does. He just kisses her hair and puts a large hand on her neck, massaging it slowly until she is relaxed again. She sighs contentedly and dozes off for a while longer. Heat with Ben is so far very nice. Probably the best she’s had. Not that that’s saying much.

Rey is not a good Omega. She knows this and 359 days of the year, she doesn’t care at all. ‘Bossy, headstrong, too stubborn’. She’s heard it all her life, but it stopped stinging some time in middle school. She likes her stubborn streak and her independence. It’s what kept her alive. And it helped her make a life for herself when she had nothing at all to start with. Rey just doesn’t work very well with Alphas.

Unkar Plutt, the drug dealer and pimp who’d sort of taken her in and fed her when she was little, was an Alpha. He was overbearing, controlling, punishing her for every mistake, perceived or not. He’d forced her and the other girls to do all of the house work, and a lot of other work too. Rey had learned how to cut cocaine at the age of six. Plutt had lorded the fact that he fed her and housed her over her head, saying that a good Alpha will feed and take care of his Omegas, and that he was a very good Alpha. That she should be grateful. Her hatred had felt like a palpable thing, living with them in the tiny room she and the other girls shared.

When Rey is eight, one of the bigger girls at the house, also an Omega, goes into heat for the first time. Rey realizes then what Plutt has in store for her. What he is expecting her to do. She ponders killing him. But she leaves instead. Leaves that very night.

It’s good really. She is picked up by the foster system less than a month later after getting caught dumpster diving behind a Wendy’s. She is put in school for the first time and she likes it. She is behind by a lot, but she gets tutoring, and catches up fast. It’s good being around the other kids. Playing games just for fun is new to her and it really is different. In a good way. A fun way. She works hard to keep up with her classmates. To not get left behind.

She doesn’t stay with any one family for more than a couple of months. They aren’t bad per se, but they’ve all got more foster kids than they can care for, so she mostly takes care of herself. And she always end up in fights if there is an Alpha kid there. It doesn’t matter much really. She just wants to be in school.

Rey finishes high school with good grades, and she is surprised when she’s not only accepted but gets a full ride to New York University. She wants to study psychology she thinks. Or maybe biology. Try to make the world a better place. According to the career counselor, the scholarship is mostly due to her ‘unfortunate circumstances’, and she’ll be expected to do well or she will lose it. She thinks she can. Rey doesn’t have any close friends to celebrate her success with so she doesn’t. But it doesn’t matter. This is her achievement, she didn’t want to share it anyway.

At the university halls, Omegas and Alphas get to have their own room and bathroom, only sharing a kitchen with other students in the hall, but instead their spaces are smaller. Probably to avoid making the other students feel short changed. Rey’s room is practically just a bed with a thin desk at the foot of it. Not even a chair. Her clothes and things have to fit in two boxes under it and her school supplies and books on a shelf over it. But it’s all hers. Hers alone, not shared with anyone and she got here all by herself. She celebrates by buying a cookbook. It’s the first non school book that she owns.

She soon discovers that she shares the tiny kitchen with one other Omega. Finn. He is a sweet, shy boy, who it turns out, was also raised by the foster system. It doesn’t take long before they start spending time together. Mostly cooking at first. They learn how not to make pancakes and what is cheap but filling on a tight budget. They also talk, watch bad tv-series in one of their beds and trade small secrets. Rey is surprised by how nice it feels to have a real friend. Her heart starts thawing a bit. She lets herself be a little less guarded around people. It’s terrifying, but also nice. She starts making more friends in class. A girl named Rose, and another name Jessika. None of them gets her like Finn do though.

They go out together for Halloween. Rey gets drunker than she ever has and Finn does too. Later that night Rey tells him her history. Opens up and lets all of that darkness out for him to see. She tells him how she used to peddle drugs for food. How she helped rip off junkies by selling Plutt's bad blow. It feels good to tell someone. The morning after, she wakes up convinced he will hate her. He won’t want to be her friend anymore, now that he knows what she has done. She hides for almost all of that day, crying and ashamed. It turns out it’s the opposite. Finn says that he wants to be her family, since neither of them has one and Rey can’t seem to stop crying. She cries on and off for days. Later, they end up celebrating Thanksgiving together, and then Christmas. Rey has a turkey recipe in her now very dirty cookbook, and they botch it both times. She’s never been so happy.

In the spring Finn goes into his first heat. He spends it in the room of a female Alpha Rey knows he doesn’t like. She worries for three days. When he comes back he is tired, but almost the same, which makes her feel much better. Rey knows she will have hers soon too, and makes arrangements with an Alpha in her class, Ryan. She doesn’t know him but it’s fine. He seems okay.

When her own heat hits her she doesn’t know what’s happening. She just feels like shit but she forces herself to class. The lecturer, an Alpha, takes her to the side after class and she is horrified when he explains to her that he can tell, that she is sending out some rather loud, erm, ‘signals’. Thankfully, he’s mated and doesn’t hit on her.

She sneaks off to Ryan’s room to wait for him. He isn’t back yet but his roommate, also an Alpha, comes on to her very strongly. He’s an asshole. He tries ordering her into his room with that Alpha tone of voice and gets increasingly angry when she doesn’t relent. When Ryan finally comes back they fight. After a long while the roommate leaves. It’s very awkward but Ryan still takes pity on her and lets her stay. After three days she is very sore but happy it’s over. Ryan asks her not to come back.

Thankfully, the scholarship covers basic medical stuff like suppressants and after this first heat she can start taking them. She knows that she isn’t any different now, not really, but she feels different. She wonders if this is what it feels like to be an adult.

She discovers heat apps and with the regularity that comes from suppressants it’s easy to schedule her life around it. She goes to a heat hotel for three days twice a year. It’s prohibitively expensive but it’s worth it. It becomes just another nuisance and she forgets about it most of the time. Uni work and then real work taking precedence in her mind.

She never has the same Alpha twice. No one experience is nice enough to warrant a repeat performance. No one asks her for one either. Her disagreements with Alphas also makes her dating life difficult, but she just can’t stand being around them for long. She doesn’t mind being single. Maybe she should get a cat. Besides, Alphas can’t stand her either. Too bossy. Too independent and unwilling to compromise. Sometimes she wonders if there’s something wrong with her. If she really is an Alpha but got the wrong biological designation or something.

Normally, Omegas end up dating Alphas. It just works out best that way. Betas, who make up about 83.6 percent of the population (not that she looked it up or worries about it or anything), usually date each other because of the stigma attached to the whole hormones and heat business. She can’t blame them for not wanting to get involved. It doesn’t really bother her but she can tell that it bothers Finn and that makes her angry. Being both an Omega and gay makes him an outlier among outliers and she doesn’t know what to say or do when he cries about wishing to be normal, being once again rejected for his designation, so she just holds him as her anger boils.

\---

“Hey.” Ben’s voice is soft as he gathers her up in his arms “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” she says weakly. “Just thought about stuff.” She wonders if he can somehow smell her distress and she hates her Omega brain for wanting to tell him everything. To just bare her heart to him and let him make him make it all better. ‘What would he even do?’ she thinks, trying to rationalize and compartmentalize, push it down. She hates being an Omega at times like this. Hates this feeling of helplessness.

Ben just presses his lips to the top of her head and holds her to him harder. Funny that. No one has kissed her head like that before. It makes her want to cry even more. “Can I do anything?” he whispers. “Is it anything I’ve done?” It’s very un-Alpha of him, to ask rather than demand her to tell him and she feels her anger letting up, ever so slightly.

“No. I’m just a weepy Omega sometimes.” It’s a lie, but she’s already fighting a loosing battle against her tears. This Alpha does stupid things to her, makes her feel more naked and raw somehow. Maybe it’s just a weird heat.

“You can cry on me if you want.” he whispers. “Shhh, my sweet, I’m here.” She still tries not to of course, she really does. Rey doesn’t cry in front of anyone but Finn if she can help it. Ben holds her all the same, rocking her and wiping away the tears that escape, his touch and his scent calming her slowly.

\---

Later, Rey is the one who breaks his rules.

“How old are you?” she asks.

She’s lying on her back and he’s spooning her from the side, his knot buried deep inside her. They’re both covered in sweat and still a bit out of breath. Ben just raises an eyebrow at her.

“You mean this is a bad time?” she deadpans.

He chuckles and pulls her up with him into a sitting position against the wall, so they can see each other better. Even sitting in his lap he is taller than her. His long legs stick out over the end of her bed. A muscle in her hip stings and she grimaces a little.

“Where does it hurt?” he asks, brow furrowing.

She shows him, and his hands starts kneading the sore muscles of her back. He does that a lot, trying to ease every little twinge. His dark eyes catch hers and she feels her heart flutter a bit. _It’s a bad idea to start asking questions_ rational Rey warns. _Don’t get stupid, Rey. _But she is curious about him. He is affecting her differently and she wants to figure out why.__

“Would you be interested in a trade?” she asks as he arranges her more comfortably in his lap. He’s still stuck inside her, but the position lets her lean back against his arm.

“Mmh, what kind?” His hand is massaging her left buttock now.

“An answer for an answer.”

He considers it for a second then nods, waiting again for her to take the initiative. He is odd. So passive, strange for an Alpha. Naturally, “Why did you agree to this?”is the first thing she asks.

He gives her a wry smile. “Because you wanted me to.” His eyes glint with good humor.

She thinks for a bit. “What does that mean?”

“I think” he nuzzles her neck “that it means that my Omega wants something. And if my Omega wants it, she shall have it. And that’s two questions.” His lips trace over her gland softly.

Rey puts her hands on his face, pushing him back so she can see him again. He kisses her fingers and looks at her before asking his question. “Where did you grow up?”

“Pass.” Rey says, without hesitation. He raises an eyebrow but makes no further comment.

“Do you have a boyfriend?” he asks instead.

She stares at him. “Do you think I’d be here with you if I did?”

He shrugs. “Some Betas are not dealing well with heats. I want to know if I need to start apologizing to someone sooner rather than later.”

“I don’t have a boyfriend.” The thought suddenly makes her cold. “Do you? Have a girlfriend I mean?” He didn’t smell like anyone, but Betas don’t scent their partners and if he-

“I don’t” he reassures her. Firmly leaving the subject. “What do you do when you’re not here with me?” Not in heat he means.

“Classes mostly.”

At this, his whole body stiffens and his eyes goes wide. “You’re still in school?” he says in a choked voice. The jerky movement shifts her in his lap, pulling his knot rather painfully. They both wince.

“I’m 26. I went back for a masters degree.” She squeaks out testily. “How old _are_ you?”

His ears and cheeks are going a bit red and he’s maneuvering her carefully back to a more comfortable position. His blush is _not_ cute. Not at all. Her rational brain is chastising while her stupid part just keeps ogling.

“34” he confesses at last. Younger than she'd thought.

“Really, just the fact that I’m in heat should be enough to tip you off that I’m legal.” He looks a little dumb-struck.

“I knew that.” His eyes avoid hers.

“Of course.” She grins at him.

She gets no reply as his eyes are staring intently on her breasts. She shoves them in his face.

\---

“Have you read all of them?” His question takes her aback.

“Mmh?”

“All of the Tolkien.” He gestures towards her bookshelf. It’s filled with mostly fantasy and sci-fi, a couple of cookbooks and her Lord of the Rings collection taking up the place of honor, as well as the Hobbit, the Silmarillion and a few tiny models of the characters. Gandalf the white seems to lift his staff in reproach at her. Judging her poor life choices, probably.

“Almost.” She and Finn had read them all to each other in college. The Hobbit was her favorite.

“I have the Book of Lost Tales.” he is looking down at her. “Up at my place. You can borrow it if you’d like.” She just stares back at him.

“Now?” she gestures vaguely in the direction of their hips, to where they’re stuck together.

“I could carry you.” he says, crooked smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

She snorts. “Old Maz next door would have a heart attack if she saw us.” His grin grows wider.

“We can’t even put on clothes.” she protests.

He chuckles and nuzzles her neck affectionately. “I’m an Alpha, I like to live dangerously.”

She snorts again. Rey does that a lot with him. She stars nibbling his ear to distract him instead. It works incredibly well.

\---

Her phone rings again. It’s rung quite a lot since she remembered to plug it in this morning. They ignore it at first, being otherwise occupied, but it rings again a while later. And again after that.

“I need to answer it.” she says.

“No.” His voice is lazy as he traces her spine. She is lying on top of him, his hands painting small circles on her back and his knot comfortably stuck inside her again.

“Actually, I really do.”

He draws back and looks at her, as if deciphering how much of his concern this warrants. Then he sighs and kisses her as if saying ‘The things I do for you’. He gingerly sits up, then stands with her in his arms, as if completely unbothered by her weight. She wonders if parasites feel a little like this. Just stuck on their hosts as they walk about their life.

Her carries her over to the kitchen counter where her phone is charging. His height means that he has to bend down in order for her to reach it, and he leans her backwards, his strong arm supporting her back and head. The movement makes her belly flop and she smiles. It reminds her of that one time Finn and her went to a carnival and went on a spinning ride. It was the first time for both of them and Finn had been screaming after the first spin. Rey had laughed all the way through. Ben leans her further, pretending to drop her and she giggles. Somehow she is absolutely certain he wouldn’t.

19 missed calls. 18 unread messages. She looks at the time. 2.42pm and..

“It’s Thursday already?!”

“Is it.” He doesn’t seem the least bit surprised.

“Shit, I got a deadline tomorrow. I need to email my professor for an extension.” She opens up her email app, trying to find the right words as she types fast. Professor Holdo is a mated Alpha, luckily, so she will most likely be understanding. Still.

“You weren’t granted extensions beforehand?” Ben doesn’t seem to have any intention to let go of her.

“I was”, Rey replies distractedly, as she drafts her request. “But my heat was early. That’s why I was still at home.”

She hits send. He’s looking at her. “What?”

“I was wondering about that actually. Not that I’m complaining.” He says with another of his wry grins. His eyes are warm.

“I usually use a heat app and do the whole hotel thing.” She can tell he is uncomfortable at her mention of being with previous partners, because his back stiffens a bit. It’s a very normal Alpha thing. They always want to hear how they’re the best partner or the first doing this thing or that. He doesn’t say anything though, and Rey is grateful. She changes the subject. “What about you?”

“What about me?”

“What do you do when you’re rutting?”

“Ah. I don’t. Usually.” When he notices Rey’s raised eyebrow, he adds “I’m on blockers.”

“So how come you’re doing it now?” With me.

“I don’t know.” His face is honest. “Your scent triggered it. Maybe it was too long since I had one”

“That happens?”

He nods. “Maybe it was just fate because you’ve not been getting enough dick.”

Rey smiles and swats at him as he leans in to kiss her.

Her phone vibrating interrupts them and she sees him side eyeing it as she lifts it to read the email.

>   
>  Rey,
> 
> Don’t worry about the assignment. If you have it in before the last day of this term you will be graded and eligible for full marks.
> 
> Kind Regards  
>  Prof. Holdo.

Rey sighs in relief then notices another email. This one from Finn.

>   
>  Rey!  
>  I have decided that you lost your phone because that makes me worry less! Please let me know you’re alive! You can have my old phone! it still works!.  
>  Finn <3

With a sinking feeling she opens her messages. 11 of them are from Finn.

>   
>  -  
>  Tues 12.45  
>  Hey, wanna catch a movie tonight?  
>  -  
>  12.46  
>  I haven’t seen the latest Dracula with that dude. Hottie McHotnessface. I think it’s on netflix now tho.  
>  -  
>  16.33  
>  Boss asked me to stay longer, a car needs to be fixed by tomorrow. Raincheck friday?  
>  -  
>  21.04  
>  This customer really is an ass.  
>  -  
>  Wed 10.45  
>  Wanna grab coffee? I’m in the usual spot.  
>  -  
>  11.04  
>  Mission control to Rey? Are u ok?  
>  -  
>  13.06  
>  You’re starting to worry me. Please reply!!  
>  -  
>  16.55  
>  Call me back when you're reading this. I’m thinking you dropped your phone in the toilet again so I try not to worry.  
>  -  
>  16.56  
>  But srsly call me.
> 
> Thur 10.18  
>  The signal is going through again. Please pick up. Are you mad at me?  
>  -  
>  10.19  
>  I love you. Peanut. Whatever I’ve done i’ll fix it. I promise. Please, please, please answer.

She opens her phone app to 16 missed calls from Finn. She calls him back immediately.

 _“Rey, Oh my god, peanut, are you okay?!”_ Finn’s voice is desperate and a little panicked.

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

_“Thank god. What happened? I was about to call the police and report you as missing but Poe stopped me. You never go this long without replying!”_

“I know. I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry. My heat came early and I didn’t think to call.”

 _“Oh... Oh!”_ She can hear his relieved laugh and someone's voice in the background. _“Oh, that’s okay. I mean. That sucks, but I’m glad that it’s not worse.”_

Rey laughs a little as well and feels Ben’s arms tense. She looks up at him. He’s looking distinctly uncomfortable, and he's staring out the window.

 _“Wait, Rey. Are you alone? DId you make it to a hotel? Or call someone? I know a guy who could probably help or you can borrow Poe if you really-”_ She can feel Ben growing tenser by the second.

“No, no, it’s fine. I’m fine. I’m with... uh, company.”

 _“Oh, good. Good.”_ A Pause. _“I uh- Call me later? When you’re... You know.”_

“Yeah, I will. Talk to you later.”

_“Talk to you later. I love you, peanut.”_

“I love you more.”

She hangs up.

Ben’s whole demeanor is strained.

“Um... Ben...?” She places her hands on his chest.

“I thought you said you didn’t have a boyfriend.” His tone is clipped. Cold.

“I don’t. Finn is just a friend.” Ben doesn’t relax.

“A friend you say ‘I love you’ to?”

Rey feels her cheeks grow hot. “Yes, I do, And it is none of your business.”

He closes his eyes, his expression is almost pained. He takes a deep breath. Then another.

“I’m sorry. Can you… Can you just tell me that there’s no one?” He says it like it pains him, through gritted teeth.

“What?”

“Tell me that there is no one else you want to be with right now. Tell me that you only want- me.”

Rey just stares at him. “Ben, you are literally knotted inside me, what-”

“Please.” He interrupts. “It’s a fucking Alpha thing. Please, just say it.”

Oh.

_Oh!_

Rey suddenly gets it.

“You’re the only one, Alpha.” she purrs, letting her hands travel up to his throat, rubbing her free thumb against the gland on it’s way around his neck. “You’re the only man I’ve been with for weeks. Months. The only one I want.” Her lips kiss his chest, then his throat.

“You’re the only Alpha I want to have inside me. You’re the only one who’s cum I want. Fuck me. Scent me. I want to be knotted by you.” She refuses to dwell on the fact that it might even be true.

She can feel the tension bleeding out of him more with every word and he bends down to nuzzle her throat.

“Thank you”. His voice is hoarse, and Rey feels a pang in her heart for him. She knows the pain and embarrassment of being a slave under her designation all too well.

“I’m going to fuck you now.” He says. “It’s going to be hard.”

A thrill of anticipation makes a wave of slick starts running between her legs. His satisfaction at it makes his scent spike and he breathes in deeply.

“My good, wet little Omega.” he praises, carrying her back towards the bed. His knot is going down but his cock is getting harder. The movement is teasing her insides. She wants more.

He pulls out from her and she whines when lays her down ever so carefully, like she’s a fragile piece of china that he’s afraid of breaking. Like she’s valuable. It makes her heart ache.

He puts her phone away on the bed stand, then he kisses her neck, spending a long time sucking on her glands, rubbing the ones on her wrists against his own. Thoroughly mixing their scents.

When he makes his way down her stomach she lets out an unhappy noise.

“Shhh, my Omega. I’m here.” He licks the indent of her hip. “I’m going to take such good care of you.”

A part of her wants to argue (because when doesn’t it?) but her Omega brain is firmly in charge and it lets him set the pace. _A pretty decent Omega when in heat,_ the rational part observes wryly. Then he puts his mouth on her.

The feeling is exquisite. She thinks she will remember it but every time it’s like it’s new.

It’s not an act she usually likes. She’s never done it when she’s not in heat, not that she does much of everything then. It makes her feel vulnerable. Almost too exposed.

Ben looks at her seam with hunger. Licks her like he’s starving. “This is the best taste.” he muses against her folds. “Right here.” His tongue teases the top of her opening, flicking ever so lightly on her clit. “If you’d let me, I’d do this all the time.” He laps at her driving her higher and higher.

“Wait for me, Omega.” he orders, as her movements grow more and more erratic.

“Then get up here and _do_ something!”

He chuckles against her again, but ultimately he does what she asks.

“If my Omega wishes it, she shall have it.” he says, kissing his way up to her breasts. “What does my little Omega desire?” He sucks on one of her nipples, and she wonders if she can cum just from that. It seems likely, right now. He suddenly stops and she feels a bit like screaming.

“No, back to… Do that again.” She pulls futilely at his hair. He grins and starts sucking at her other nipple, as he lines himself up against her opening. When he sinks himself into her he groans loudly. Rey whines.

“Shh, Omega.” he starts moving. Hard steady thrusts. “I’ll make you cum. I’ll make you cum over and over and I’ll knot you and fill you so full.” His pace increases and Rey feels herself start to peak. She’s close. “I’ll take care of you.”

He increases his tempo, pounding her harder down into her mattress with every thrust.

“Cum on me, Omega. Cum on my cock.” He fucks her even harder, harder than she thought she could take. And Rey cums. She cums with a scream that tapers off into an almost sob, and still he doesn’t relent. He only fucks her harder and she thinks she’s going to-

BANG.

Suddenly, she feels herself dropping a foot and she yelps as Ben slips out of her with a hiss.

“What w.. What?” she sits up and looks around, trying disorientedly to see what happened. Everything seems the same and yet something is off.

“It appears we broke the bed.” Ben says, unconcerned about their changed circumstances. He is lining himself up against her opening again, nipping at her gland, nudging her to lean back. She sighs at the pleasure but then the realization hits her.

“Wait, wait! what? We broke the _bed?_ ”

“I’ll buy you a new bed.” He is completely unperturbed.

“You can’t buy me a new bed.” Rey knows that her heat is coming to an end because she’s even capable of arguing at a time like this.

“I can and I will.”

“But…”

“I’m your Alpha. I'll get you a bed.” He shuts her up with a deep kiss and Rey is deciding that maybe future Rey can deal with it. Later. Only...

“Ouch!” Something sharp is digging into her back. Ben pulls back, his eyes searching her face.

“Something is poking my ass.”

He nods. “The table then.”

He’s carried her halfway to the table when her mind clears enough for her to see reason.

“Wait, what will we do after?”

“After?”

“After we’ve knotted. We cant lie in the bed.”

“We’ll stand.”

“That’s not.. That’s not a plan. Ben, be reasonable.”

“I’m rutting. I don’t have to be reasonable.” He says with finality, deliciously kissing her again. A fair point, she concedes, kissing him back. She nips his lower lip lightly before taking his large face between her hands, pushing it back to look at him.

“We need to think of something.” She can practically see his mind sluggishly start up.

“The wall?”

“Same problem.” His brow furrows.

“My bed.” he says, his tone pleased.

“Oh. Yeah. Okay. That could work. Okay... But we still need to get there. You can’t walk around with me knotted on your dick.”

He thinks a few seconds at this, then a few seconds more, not seeming to agree with her assessment. At last he grunts discontentedly, puts her down and grabs his pants which are hanging forgotten on a chair.

“Get dressed and grab what you need.”

“Uh. Okay. But what about..?”

“ _Omega._ ” the Alpha command shuts her up. He walks over to her. Already wearing the pants. She feels unease at having displeased him but he cups her face gently. “I promise you that I will have every discussion with you later. Every argument you want. You can yell at me until you’re blue in the face. But right now I’m rutting and if I can’t knot you within ten minutes I might start breaking the furniture, and I don’t want to do that in your apartment.”

She relents and pulls him down for a quick kiss. “I’ll grab my things.”

“Good girl.”

She pulls on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt from the top of the pile in her wardrobe. Then she puts her phone and charger in her pocket and lets Ben usher her out from her apartment. She locks it hastily and they head for the stairs.

Thankfully they don’t meet anyone. When she turns to ask him which door is his he grabs her hand, practically dragging her up the next flight. She is inwardly cringing at how many neighbors must have noticed her if he could, when he leads her up the final flight of stairs in the building. To the-

“The penthouse!?” she says, dumbfounded. He mumbles something intelligible as he tries to unlock the door with his left hand and she lets go of his right. He is trembling when he finally gets the large wooden door open and Rey is suddenly hoisted into his arms. She barely manages to get a kick in on the door behind him, hoping that it’s enough to close it behind them, as he rushes them in.

“Oh wow. I’m totally letting you buy me a bed.” The room he carries her through is huge. At least five times her only room and spacious with a ceiling at least twice as high as hers. “I’m going to pick the fattest bed with a triple mattress, and a remote and an adjustable...” She only catches a glimpse of dark wooden furniture before she’s unceremoniously dropped on a bed with a squawk. He is right with her, pressing her into the mattress (‘so plush’) and kissing her senseless.

“You have no idea what this does to me, seeing you in my bed.” he growls as he peels off her pants, tossing them carelessly behind him and buries his face between her legs.

“You already did that!” she protests laughing and she thinks can feel him make a satisfied sound against her clit.

“It bears repeating.”

He takes his time licking her again, teasing her folds with his tongue and sucking on her clit until she whimpers and shakes. Then he crawls up over her body, wiping her slick from his face with his dark green sheet.

“I thought you needed to knot within minutes?” she teases him as he pulls his shirt over his head and tosses it aside.

“I was wrong.” His tone is calm. Her shirt is pulled up slowly, while he kisses every inch of exposed skin on his way.

Finally, he rises above her and his moan mixes with hers as he sinks into her.

“I don’t think I can ever let you leave my bed again.” He groans as he starts to move. “You look too right here. You smell right here. Your eyes even match my sheets.”

She bursts out laughing and he smiles a little sheepishly down at her, changing his angle slightly with every thrust until he hits the spot inside her where she can’t do more than let out a soft “Oh.”. Another peak is approaching fast and slick is running down her legs as she clenches around him. He grunts and lifts one of her legs up over his elbow, going even deeper.

He cums with a few hard thrusts biting down on one of her neck glands, then desperately kisses her over and over as his pulsing knot fills her and he whimpers as he cums again, bringing her with him over the edge.

Afterward he collapses on her. His wonderful weight practically burying her in the thick mattress, before he rolls to his back, taking her with him.

He holds her close, nuzzling her and planting kisses all over her face. She smiles and lets him, contentedly letting her hands find their way into his hair. She likes his hair. It's very soft and she's found out that he likes when she scratches his scalp. He shivers, so she does it again. He sighs and closes his eyes as she slowly scratches from the back of his head all the way to his forehead.

Her hands explore his face lazily as she slowly sinks down next to him, feeling real sleep take her for the first time in three days.

\---

He wakes her while it’s still dark outside. “I’m sorry” he whispers. “I can’t let you sleep longer. I need you again.” She is warm where she’s nestled under the thick duvet, and his hands are warmer still, stroking her skin. She can’t see his face but she smiles at him when she kisses him, feeling him smile in return. Her body is already responding to his scent, producing some truly spectacular amounts of slick considering her newly awakened state.

“I think you’re going to need to buy new sheets for both me and you, when you buy me that bed.” she whispers. “These will be ruined.”

“I’m starting to regret saying that.” He kisses her neck, parting her legs for him. “If I don’t buy you a new bed, I might convince you to stay here.”

Then he sinks into her, and words fail them.

\---

He wakes her several more times that night, needing her over and over. She falls asleep with his cock knotted inside her each time.

\---

Bacon. It’s the smell of Bacon that wakes her up.

Rey sits up immediately, a life of being half starved meaning she doesn’t pass on food if she can help it. And she doesn’t even remember the last time she had bacon.

The bed is empty next to her, spots of dried cum staining the sheets everywhere and she winces. Her clothes are nowhere to be found, so she steals a t-shirt hanging from a plush chair. It’s black, incredibly soft and it smells of him.

A door to her is left open, leading to a en suite bathroom. The lights have been left on and she takes it as an invitation. It too, seems bigger than her whole apartment. It has a shower _and_ a bathtub, and _two_ sinks. Who even uses two sinks, she thinks, as she pees and washes her hands quickly. The shower glints invitingly, but hunger wins out. On a whim she peeks out the open bedroom window. She can recognize her own curtains sticking out, three floors right below her. There is an embarrassing amount of windows open and Rey wishes fervently that her building is populated exclusively by Betas.

The wonderful smell leads her out across a giant living room. Floor to ceiling windows show a beautiful vista of the sky and the roofs of the neighboring buildings. In the attached kitchen, Ben is wielding a spatula and a pan, but he puts them down as he sees her.

“Good morning” he says and comes to greet her with a smile. He places a soft kiss on her lips, before putting his arms around her, nuzzling her neck thoroughly. “Did you sleep all right?” he mumbles. Rey was worried he would be awkward today. But it's fine. He seems relaxed. She leans into him.

“I did.” she says with a smile, then lets go of him to continue on her quest towards the bacon. “Although I had this weird dream that I was woken up over and over by this crazy dude.” She fishes a piece from the pan and eats it while it’s still hot, burning her tongue and fingers.

“That sounds awful.” His tone is sympathetic but he grabs her hips and picks her up just before she reaches for another piece. He gently sits her down on the kitchen island, firmly out of range of the bacon.

“Yeah, and he seemed so nice at first.” she says, pointedly.

“What an ass.” Ben comes to stand between her thighs and kisses her again. They’re nice, his kisses. His lips are very soft and she takes some time to languidly explore them, just because she can.

She misses him as soon as he pulls away, but he soon distracts her by handing her a fork and a plate, heaped with fried eggs, spinach and the now crispy bacon.

They eat together, standing right there in the kitchen. He’s feeding her bites from his fork as often as she’s feeding herself, and they drop some eggs as they fight over the last piece of bacon.

“Coffee?” he asks when it’s all gone.

“Yes, Please!”

The machine he uses has a million buttons and knobs, and the way his large hands fiddles expertly with them makes her cheeks heat. There really is something to be said about competent, well built men in standing about in kitchens.

The coffee he finally hands her is probably the best she’s ever tasted and she closes her eyes in bliss. She hears him chuckle as his lips graze her forehead.

“I take it rut is over now?” she asks, dangling her legs a little, bouncing her heels on the cupboard. “Considering you haven’t ravaged me on the kitchen island yet.”

“Oh, you will be ravaged.” his warm eyes sparkle. “I’m just making sure you’re properly fed first.”

“Uh huh.” She’s feeling a little bit nervous. She hasn’t had much sex while not being in heat before. On the other hand, if he’s still rutting, maybe it’s like an extension. An extended heat. _Like that’s a thing,_ the inner rational Rey mocks her, rolling her figurative eyes. Rey ignores her.

Ben is nuzzling her neck again, and she sighs contentedly. “So how long is a rut? For you?”

Ben doesn’t look up. “I’ll probably be rutting for… what day is today?”

“Friday.”

“For at least two more days. For sure.”

“Is that so?”

“It is.”

Rey giggles as his large hands plucks her cup away and lays her carefully down on her back. Then he thoroughly ravages her.

\----

“We should shower.”

“Mmmh?”

“Shower. I haven’t showered in…” She doesn’t finish the sentence. It was an embarrassing amount of days ago. They’re lying on his huge, black sofa. His knot has gone down already but she’s too comfortably nestled in his arms to pull away from him just yet.

“I know. It’s great.” His voice is a rumble in his chest.

“It’s nasty.”

“Don't shame people their kinks. It's rude.”

She laughs. Then pushes herself up to a sitting position. He’s watching her face calmly, with that warmth in his eyes she's already grown to like.

“I am sorely tempted to simply order you to stay put.” He doesn’t though. He just keeps looking at her. Seeing something in her face, he rolls his eyes, sighs, grumbles something about strange, bossy omegas and then he picks her up and carries her towards the bathroom.

“I can walk, you know.”

“I know.”

He puts her down on and starts fiddling with the controls to the bathtub, As it slowly starts filling up he pulls her with him into the shower. The water jets from everywhere and he yelps as she experimentally pushes a button sending a spurt of cold water up from right below them. She laughs at him as the water quickly warms and he lets her figure out what all the different buttons do as he shampoos her hair, carefully trying not to massage her scalp too much. Rey forces him to stand on his knees in front of her so she can wash his hair too. It puts his face just above the height of her breasts, which he soaps very thoroughly.

The hot tub has bubbles and massage jets, and she spends more than an hour floating in the hot water, letting Ben rub her feet and kiss her legs. She’s given up on telling him he doesn’t need to stroke and massage her. He keeps insisting and it really does feel very nice. Afterwards Rey feels like a whole new person.

\---

They change the sheets on his bed together, then promptly make a mess of the new ones.

\----  
“Would you play Mario Kart with me?” It’s afternoon and they’ve just woken up from a nap. Ben is looking at her sheepishly from where he leans on his elbow, seeming almost as surprised as she at what he's asked.

“Mario Kart?”

“It’s a game. Forget it.” A blush is creeping onto his face.

“No, I know it. Are you sure you wanna deal with that though?” She doesn't really want to move from where she’s lying next to him.

“Deal with what?” His hair is falling in his face slightly. It’s a good look on him.

“Getting your ass handed to you.”

He snorts. “You think you would win?”

“I do.” A pause, then, “I thought Alphas don’t do competition?”

All alphas are notoriously good at competitive sports and even more notoriously bad at dealing with losing. Rey too, is a sore loser and she has a feeling that this might be a bad idea.

He shrugs. “I try not to let the asshole dictate every interaction.”

“The... what?”

“The inner asshole.” he says, like it’s obvious. “It’s how I, uh…” he pauses a second. “I usually imagine it like a separate Alpha part of my brain. Like an inner voice. He has a lot of strong opinions on a lot of things, but he’s not… I don’t want him running the show.” He pauses again. “That in an of itself might be an Alpha thing.” He pauses again. “it’s complicated”

Rey smiles. “Yeah, but I get it. It’s how I see it too.” she says. “Like it’s a part of me but it’s not who I really am, or at least not all I am.”

He looks like he’s about to say something more when his phone interrupts them. He checks it then presses a kiss to her lips. “I need to take this, but help yourself to anything you want in the apartment and I’ll be back in a while.” he says kissing her again, harder, before going off to some other room to take the call.

Thirty minutes later he still isn’t back and Rey’s stomach is making its presence known with increasing insistence. She decides to go look for something to eat. She dresses in another one of his black t-shirts and makes her way to the kitchen. As she opens the fridge her eyes go round.

It. is. Packed. To the brim. With food,

Rey doesn’t have a lot of food in her fridge. Hell, she still dumpster dives sometimes at night to save money, even though she knows it’s illegal and probably something she should be ashamed of. She eats a lot of bread and a lot of oatmeal porridge, simply because it’s filling and because she often finds it. Besides, she is used to not having money by now, currently she’s living off what little she saved when she worked after her undergrad, and money from the occasional part time gig. Not that she’d earned much, working for charities.

Ben doesn’t seem to eat a lot of neither bread nor porridge, judging by the contents of his fridge. He’s got at least five kinds of cheese in a basket, tons of veggies, many she doesn’t even know the name of, a whole shelf is packed full of colorful jars. Rey’s mouth waters. A package of smoked salmon is peeking out from under an egg carton. She closes the fridge and opens a cupboard experimentally. Yeah, this guy definitely doesn’t eat much bread.

She’s chewing on her twelfth granola bar while frying eggs and salmon in the bacon fat from this morning, when he comes back from wherever he went. Wrappers lie spread out on the counter top next to her. She had tried one of every flavor of granola bar he had. She didn't mean to, she was just so hungry. Her body somehow realizing how many calories she'd missed out on during the last few days.

“Hungry?” Ben asks, as he walks up behind her, grabbing a bar for himself. He lifts one of her empty wrappers and reads it before putting it and a bunch of others in the trash, then kisses her neck from behind.

“Not anymore.” she supplies happily, stirring the eggs.

“Scavenger.” he mock chastises, as he chews, his arms loose around her.

"Are you _frying_ the smoked salmon?"

"Yep"

He is silent at this, just chewing thoughtfully. Then he kisses her neck again, his lips growing insistent.

She smiles, turning around so she can kiss him back properly.

They almost burn the food.

\----

They do end up playing Mario Kart. She doesn’t even know how it happens, but it’s fun. They’re both equally bad and she loses as much as she wins.

“I thought you were good at this?” she teases, as she wins another round. They're lying on opposite sides of the sofa. Almost clothed now.

Rain is pouring down outside the windows.

He shrugs. “I don’t exactly practise,” he defends himself. Alphas usually don’t want to do things they don’t have at least a rudimentary grip on. Not in front of strangers. It’s explained as showing weakness and that is something Alphas feel uncomfortable doing. Rey thinks it’s stupid. Everyone sucks at stuff at first. Everyone hates it. It’s ridiculous to coddle people because of their designation.

“Thank you.” His earnest voice interrupts her train of thought. “For indulging me. Playing.”

Rey smiles, her heart making a little flip flop. “You’re welcome.” She has a feeling he doesn’t play games very often and she wonders what his friends are like.

They play a few rounds more, then he makes her lose her concentration by kissing her legs. Starting at her toes and going all the way up. Pretty soon, they’re both winning, but Rey knows in the back of her head that his rut is ended, and that all this will soon come to an end. She ignores it for just a little while longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here it is. Pages upon pages of unapologetic fluff, increasing the word count with several hundred percent.
> 
> I think there might be a plot forming in the distance, but I'm not sure, so don't quote me on that.
> 
> I regret nothing.


	3. Chapter 3

As Sunday morning rolls around, Rey knows she has to leave. There is no more denying that his rut is over and there are a hundred things left un-crossed on her to-do list. Also, she still doesn’t have a functioning bed.

Ben hands her a black credit card with no name on it as she stands in the hallway, a little bit hesitant to take the final steps out on the landing and out of his life. He tells her to buy whatever bed she wants, and that he’ll personally return it if has less than three mattresses and doesn’t come with a remote. She smiles, promising him she will as he writes the pin on the inside of her arm. She accepts it, feeling guilty, but she really can’t afford a new bed on her own right now.

She doesn’t remind him that she’s still wearing his t-shirt when he kisses her goodbye on his doorstep and he doesn’t mention it either. He stops her again, and puts his number in her phone. Then she is walking away from him. Wondering if he is feeling a bit sad too. She hopes he will want to be with her during her next heat. And it’s never seemed far away before.

Later, as she stands in her own tiny shower, she already misses his hands in her hair. Drying herself feels different, now that she knows how it feels when someone else does it. Her own coffee tastes like old shoes, compared to the dark ambrosia he makes. Rey sighs, berating herself for an idiot, hoping this feeling will go away soon.

Finn meets her outside the subway station and seeing him makes a sense of normality return at last. It’s the middle of August, and the sun is still warm where is shines down on them.

“Rey! Peanut!” He envelops her in a warm hug and his wonderful scent fills her nose. He smells like home, except it’s tinged slightly with Poe’s scent.

“Hey!” She hugs him back hard. “You smell like Poe now.” she says excitedly as she pulls back, before her brain catches up. “I mean...”

Finn is blushing but can’t hide his happy smile. Finn had met Poe almost a year ago but they hadn’t started dating back then. Poe is an Alpha, and a customer at the expensive car dealership where Finn is a mechanic. Poe is actually somewhat famous in the business, being an accomplished race car driver and owning a whole fleet of high end cars.

He had asked Finn out during their second meeting, but Finn was too guarded to say yes back then, too hurt from previous experiences, so Poe had become his friend instead. It had done wonders for Finn’s confidence. He had relaxed. He was more happy and outgoing. He, and by extension Rey, had made a whole host of new friends Poe introduced them to. When the lease on Rey and Finn’s shared apartment was coming up, Rey found an excuse to geta studio flat, pushing Finn to accept Poe’s offer of his extra room. It had been hard being alone at first, but Finn’s happiness was so tangible it more than made up for it.

“We’ve been taking it slow but-” Finn doesn’t finish his sentence. His honest eyes widening in shock. “Did you know? That we would?”

Rey just smiles at him. His open face showing every shade of realization as it hits him.

“You knew all along, didn’t you. You did it on purpose!” His accusation doesn’t hold any bite. Rey laughs at him.

“Are you really sure you’re an Omega, Rey? I think this meddling is a bit Alpha, even for you.”

“Hey!” She playfully swats at his shoulder, then hooks her arm in his, dragging him towards the subway, as she begs him to tell her everything. The time it takes before an Omega or Alpha started smelling of their partner varies, but it's usually never more than a year. Rey had suspected they'd started sleeping together, but Finn had been avoiding the subject and this was something too important to him him for her to push. Even though she knew she could. Finn rarely held up under pressure.

They get on a train eastward, because she wants to go to IKEA. They have same day delivery and she can try it out in the store and besides, it's fun to spend a day with Finn. He gushing about Poe as they make their way out of the city.

“...he waited for me. All this time. He said he knew I was the one from the start.” Finn blushes and Rey feels like crying a bit. _Still hormonal,_ she thinks, wiping away a happy tear.

“Speaking of Alphas,” Finn says, in a decidedly not organic segue. “How was... uh... last week?”

“It was good. Great actually.” Rey smiles. “I think I might even see him again.”

“What, really? Who is this guy?”

“My neighbor.” Rey blushes. “I accidentally left the window open and he could… uh, _tell_.” She lets Finn draw his own conclusions.

“I didn't know you had an Alpha neighbor. I thought it was just that old lady.”

“Maz.” Rey fills in. “I don’t on my floor. I think. He lives above me.”

Finn is nodding. “That’s good. That he was good I mean. I’m happy he wasn’t some weirdo...”

She shrugs and changes the subject, asking him about his week instead. She even manages to avoid talking about Ben all the way until they’re in the warehouse, chatting about classes and work instead.

They take their time, strolling through the various sections, trying to pronounce all the names. Finn help her try out every one of the different beds and she settles at last on a plush continental that tilts the head up at the press of a button. Finn doesn’t say anything as a clerk helps her order one, telling her to pay at the cashier and how to sort out delivery. She orders full service, so that they’ll take away her old bed as well.

“Rey.” Finn’s voice is serious. “Why are you buying a new bed?”

Rey blushes and tries for a noncommittal tone. “The old one broke.”

She studies a pillow case intently so she doesn’t have to look him in the eye.

“It… broke?”

“Yeah, it was old.” It’s even true. She’d bought it off craigslist for less than ten dollars. Her only requirement being that is was free from stains and bed bugs. It was supremely uncomfortable, but it had been functional enough.

“So it had nothing to do with… activities. Like, _activities_ activities.”

She turns to look at him. He’s grinning widely.

“Maybe.” The unconcerned tone is belied by her blush.

He laughs but then his smile falls a little. “We can help you pay for it, you know.” Finn knows how little she has. “We’d like to. Poe actually makes a lot of money and…” he stops himself. Realizing that it might be inappropriate.

“Actually, the guy is buying it.”

“The guy?”

“The dude. The Alpha dude. It’s kind of his fault it broke.”

“And you’re letting him?” Finn is gaping at her. “Who is this guy? And what has he done to my Rey?”

That gives Rey pause. She doesn’t like when people buy her things. Food, yes, absolutely. But not things. At least not expensive things. Not things they can hold over her head and make her feel guilty about. A cold feeling settles in her stomach, making her feel slightly nauseous. This is not a good idea. Not a good idea at all. What was she thinking?

Her heartbeat quickening, she picks up her phone. The bed is expensive, but it's not the most expensive one she’s bought and she can probably afford it if she pays it off in increments. Like, a few dollars each month increments...

She sighs. Who is she kidding? She’ll have to cancel this and get another one off of craigslist. It sucks but will be worth it. Not to be under any kind of debt to an Alpha. To anyone. She composes a quick text.

  
**Rey**  
14.06  
I can’t let you pay for the bed.

The three dots bounce as he starts to reply. Then they disappear. Then they bounce some more.

**Ben**  
14.08  
Would it convince you to do it if I forbade you instead?

She can’t help the small smile creeping onto her face.

“Wow.” Finn is reading over her shoulder. “When did you say you guys met? How long has he known you?”

Rey shoos him away. Ignoring his comments.

  
**Rey**  
14.09  
I don’t want to take your charity. I can take care of myself.

 **Ben**  
14.09  
I know you can and this is not charity. I’m replacing something of yours that I broke.

 **Rey**  
14.10  
And I’m not letting you, it was an accident.

The dots bounce, then disappear.

Bounce.

Disappear.

**Ben**  
14.13  
I know you are fully capable of caring for yourself, but I’m asking you to accept this as a favor to me. Just once and I’ll never mention it again. The IA is giving me a very hard time about this.

14.14  
I promise will not impose on your life any further. I only ask for this one thing.

 **Rey**  
14.15  
The IA?

 **Ben**  
14.15  
Inner Alpha (Asshole)

She sighs, fluffing a pillow. She’s about to ask Finn what he’d have done when she feels her phone vibrate again.

**Ben**  
14.20  
Are you really the kind of person who goes back on her word?

 **Rey**  
14.20  
What do you mean?

 **Ben**  
14.21  
I believe your exact phrasing was “I am totally letting you buy me a bed”.

She furrows her brow and chews her lower lip a bit more. Stubbornness wars with the fear in her chest. She replies.

**Rey**  
14.23  
Fine.

 **Ben**  
14.24  
Thank you.

A minute later she feels her phone vibrate again.

14.26  
Get some new sheets as well.

She wants to smack him.

Rey does end up getting new sheets, but only because the bed is wider than her old one. A bit longer too. Ben is much taller than she is. Not that that has anything to do with it. Lots of guys are taller than she is. Most guys actually.

Finn convinces her to get the ones with thread count 600, because Poe has them and it really is much more comfortable, it’s worth it. She’ll totally feel the difference. He babbles excitedly about what Poe thinks about this thing or that as they pass the,. Such as fake plants (like why?) and scented candles (Poe like the apple scent, but I like violets more). Rey wonders what Ben likes, then quickly squashes the thought. It’ll go away soon. Probably.

\---

They stuff their faces with cheap hotdogs before heading back into the city. The delivery is due at seven that night but Rey has laundry to do, and dishes, and grocery shopping. And she should probably answer her emails and… It's a lot. She pushes it to the back of her mind as she tightly hugs Finn goodbye. They make plans for movie night on Wednesday before they part.

\---  
It’s eight pm. Her bed still hasn’t showed up. She paces. The sits tries to focus on course work to make the time pass. When nine pm rolls around she calls the number they gave her for the driver. No one picks up, so she tries the customer service number instead.

\---

“Thursday?!?”

“I’m very sorry miss, there has been a misunderstanding with the inventory department. You will be refunded the cost of the delivery as recompense.” The rep from customer service really is very apologetic.

“But I don’t have anywhere to sleep!”

“Once again, I’m very sorry, but there’s nothing we can do. The inventory doesn’t arrive in the city until Wednesday. We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused you.”

Rey sighs. “Yeah okay, thank you. Thursday evening?”

“Yes miss, they will call you at 6 pm, same as originally planned.”

Rey doesn’t bother to correct her as she hangs up, running a hand through her hair. She doesn’t own a couch, and her own bed is unsalvageable, springs poking out from the mattress in places. She decides to roll up in her thin duvet on the floor.

\---

 _Ben has a very big bed_. Her traitorous brain points out. Again. She ignores it. For the twelfth time.

It’s midnight. Finn doesn’t answer his phone, nor Jessika and Rose lives too far away.

Rey sighs. Any way she twists and turns the hard floor is uncomfortable. She rolls over again. And then turns some more. She’s slept on worse. She should be able to survive one night.

Sleep doesn’t come.

Finally, exhausted, she gives up goes to get her phone and keys. She has the excuse of giving him back his card anyway.

The stairwell is empty and dark as she trudges up to the top landing. Ben’s door has a window of frosted glass in it, she notices, and the lights are on inside. It doesn’t have a name plaque. Rey steels herself. She didn’t text him beforehand, knowing her courage would probably desert her. With a deep breath she reaches out her hand and rings the doorbell.

Loud music and the smell of food cooking greets her as the door opens. She’s already forgotten how tall he is as his frame fills the doorway.

“Rey.” His eyes feels like they lights up the stairwell. He’s dressed in sweatpants and a t-shirt and his hair is mussed. “Come in. Are you hungry?” It smells delicious.

“I uh- sure.”

Ben nods and ushers her in, closing the door behind her. His hand finds her lower back and then he leads her towards to the kitchen. As his dark scent hits her she suddenly feels much better and she finds herself leaning into his warmth a little.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?” He says as she jumps up to sit on what is quickly becoming her usual spot on the kitchen island. _Stop it. It’s only until tomorrow,_ her brain chastises. _There is no_ your _spot in kitchen._

“The delivery didn’t show up. I’m bedless” He is back to chopping vegetables and she watches the muscles of his back ripple as he moves. His distractingly broad shoulders stretch the fabric of his t-shirt as he puts cucumber and tomato in a bowl. She opens her mouth obediently as he feeds her a piece. Then she catches herself and frowns.

“I see.” He turns to rummage through a drawer. “I have work early tomorrow, so you’ll have to let yourself out.” He seems to find what is looking for. “But you’re welcome to help yourself to breakfast.” A key lands in her hand. His long fingers stroke hers as he pulls away and slow heat starts to pool in her stomach.

“Where does this go?” she asks, turning the key over in her hand to distract herself.

“The door.”

What?

“Ben, you can’t give me your key.” She tries to give it back to him. “I’m practically a stranger.”

Ben chuckles. “I wouldn’t say stranger. And I’m simply _lending_ you my key so that you may lock my door tomorrow.” He turns back to the vegetables. Rey places the key surreptitiously on his counter next to her. She’ll sneak out before he wakes.

He takes out a casserole dish from the oven and puts it on the stove to cool off. Then he finishes making a salad. Her belly grumbles loudly as she watches. He waves away her offer to help and when she opens her mouth to argue he stops her with a kiss.

Oh.

It’s not a deep kiss, but it makes her toes curl nonetheless. He lets go of her with a smile and a hum. Rey is silent, but takes the plate he hands her, piled high with food.

“I really only came to ask if I could sleep on your couch” she says, decidedly ignoring how broad his back is as he turns around in the kitchen.

“I know. Wine?” Unbothered, he puts his plate down at the large dinner table. They haven’t sat there before. Yesterday, they'd just ate from the same plate right in the kitchen, in a hurry to get back to their previous pasttime. Yesterday feels pretty far away.

The dark, high backed chairs are thickly padded.

“What is it?” She asks as she plops herself down, wondering how people act are when they are casual. Is she doing it now? Should she cross her legs and lean back? What on earth should she do with her hands?

“Moussaka. Vegetarian.” He hands her a glass of wine before pulling out his own chair.

It’s one of the best things she’s ever tasted and she closes her eyes, humming contentedly as she lets the flavor roll around in her mouth. A thought comes to her.

“Are you a chef?” she asks. It would make sense. The food. The cooking.

He gives her a short laugh. “No. But I’m flattered you think so highly of my cooking.”

\---

They eat in silence, letting the music fill the space between them. She doesn’t recognize the band but it’s slow and with intricate harmonies. The wine pairs well with the food, and she calms a little. She's still high strung, but not acutely so. Another idea comes to mind.

“Are you a sommelier?” she asks.

He shakes his head. “I’m not.” his dark eyes find hers intently. “Rey, I would prefer it if you do not ask about my profession.”

Right. Of course.

She feels a bit stupid. She’s only an Omega he spent a heat with after all. Not someone who has any right to ask him things. It’s really very rude of her, barging into his home, eating all his food and asking a lot of nosy questions. She should probably leave. The floor was not so bad and if she put some clothes in a pile she could-

“Rey.” His eyes are warmer as she looks up at him. “Don’t.” he simply says, as if reading her mind. She furrows her brow.

“I’m not.”

“Good.”

She doesn’t know what to say, so she takes another sip of wine. Her glass is almost empty.

“Would you like some more?” Ben is standing up, taking their plates back to the kitchen. They’ve both eaten very fast.

“No thanks.”

He nods and puts them in the dishwasher. Dishwasher. Rey sighs jealously. Of course he would have a dish washer. A guy with an apartment like this doesn’t have to do his dishes by hand. She chews her lip, wondering again what she’s doing here.

“Rey.” He says her name a lot. Like he enjoys the sound of it. She looks up, and up at where he’s towering over her. “Let’s go to bed.” His voice is warm as he bends down and picks her up like nothing.

Rey forgets her idea about the couch as he kisses her.

\---

He lays her on the bed. Rey is pulling at his clothes and his breathing hitches as she nips on lightly on the gland on his neck. He lets out something akin to a growl and pushes her back, his mouth devouring hers.

His large hands are pulling her pants and panties off in a single movement, and she feels his hard erection as he presses his hips between her legs. She can feel her own slick soaking his pants and he _grinds._ Slotting them together perfectly. She moans at the friction hitting just the right spot and he sets a slow rhythm.

She is pulling hard at his shirt, wanting desperately to feel his skin, but he ignores her. Instead he grabs her hip hard, holding her in place as he rubs against her. His other arm is supporting his weight above her his lips are making her stupid. He does it two more times before he stops, letting out a shaky laugh.

“You’re going to make me cum just from this.” His voice is hoarse.

She really shouldn’t feel so pleased at the prospect. The way his eyes rove over her body as he sits up and pulls off her shirt makes her feel sexy and powerful. It’s almost enough to drown out her uncertainty. As he starts making his way down her chest and stomach she feels her heart clench, and she pulls him back up.

“Not... Not that right now.” Her voice sounds breathy in her own ears, but he kisses her sweetly instead, letting her pull of his t-shirt. Finally.

His scent is stronger on his bare skin and Rey bites at his gland, then rubs her wrist against his neck, trying to release more of it. He groans, his mouth capturing hers as he kneels and pulls down his pants.

“Your scent does things to me.” he fervently whispers and Rey shudders as his fingers slip between her legs. She can feel his erection leak against her thigh, His touch is soft at first, then harder before he slips two fingers into her. The stretch is exquisite and she moans. Ben lets his fingers pump in and out of her a few times, before he withdraws them, lifting them to his mouth and licking them clean of her slick.

Not willing to wait any longer she hooks her legs around him, pulling him towards her. By sheer luck his cock is angled just right and he slips inside. She can feel his balls against her as he bottoms out. His eyes go wide and he groans. “Rey… You‘re so fucking…” he doesn’t seem to know what to say or he simply forgot he was talking, because Rey is mouthing at his jaw.

He starts moving inside her, and Rey shudders.

“Here?” he asks, shifting his angle. He hits that delicious, wonderful spot inside her and she gasps. “Ah, there.” His voice is melted chocolate over thunder as he does it again, pressing that spot, that splendid place inside her, over and over.

Rey’s orgasm washes over her, inevitable and strong. The muscles of her legs clench and shake as she bites into his shoulder and _screams._

“Just a…” his voice is hoarse between his pants. “Just a little... longer… wait-” He cums, pressing her hard into the mattress as he pumps her full of his spend. His knot is swelling and he holds her hips to him, pressing himself with bruising force against her, as if afraid he would slip out before he’s well and truly stuck in her. She feels her walls clench around his knot as his second orgasm takes him, and she lets her lips run over his throat, tasting the scent he is releasing. He kisses her softly. Draws it out for a long time. “Rey”. He whispers, his voice is reverent like a prayer.

He arranges her in front of him, propping her head on his arm as the length of his large body arranges itself around hers.

“Come back tomorrow.” he whispers.

“Mmh?”

“I want you to sleep here. Until your bed comes.”

“Mmm, okay.” Rey is too tired to argue. She feels his lips press a kiss to her forehead as she falls asleep in his arms.


	4. Chapter 4

The alarm on her phone is jarring. The sharp _bleep, bleep, bleeps_ are finding their way into her dreams, dragging her kicking and screaming back to reality. She opens her eyes with a groan. The offending device is right in front of her. Ben must have plugged it in for her as it’s lying on the table next to the bed, slowly sliding a little more towards the edge with every vibration.

She groans and picks it up. 6.00 am. 4 unread texts. 

She lets her arm fall to the pillow above her head, then turns over. The bed is empty. Not bothering to get dressed she stumbles up and goes to look for him. In the kitchen there’s a cup of coffee and a plate of omelet next to the key, still sitting in the same place she’d left it yesterday. No note. She takes a sip of the coffee, which is cold, then takes a quick tour to the bathroom, checks the sofa and the rest of the living room, then finally tries calling out his name. He must have left already, she finally concludes, as he doesn't reply, not without a little pang of disappointment. Dressed in her pyjamas, she goes back to the breakfast. It’s good food. Much better than she usually eats, when she eats at all in the mornings. The coffee is cold, so he must have left a while ago. Maybe he's a vampire, she muses, as she chews slowly.

She decides not to use his shower, feeling that she’s imposed enough on his hospitality already, so she simply gathers her things, locks his door and sneaks back down to her own.

As she’s making a sandwich and packing her stuff to go to class, she texts Jess and Rose. Jess has answered her saying that of course she can sleep on her couch and Rey mulls it over as she pulls her hair up in a bun, applies some concealer, rouge and mascara, then stuffs her laptop into her backpack. She texts Jess back then packs her toothbrush, clean underwear and some skin care stuff as well. The rest she can borrow there.

She pauses at the rows of mailboxes at the bottom of the stairwell. There are quite a few of them with a first initial B, but she still doesn’t know his last name. She considers texting him but decides against it. _‘Hello, it’s me. Great sex yesterday. What’s your last name?_ ’. Yeah, no. That’s not the kind of signals she wants to send. Not that she wants to send any signals. She doesn’t want to presume... things. So she slips the key into an inner pocket and tries to forget about it.

\---

Her class is interesting and engaging, professor Holdo is a very charismatic speaker and she manages to make most things at least vaguely compelling. It feels good to be back, taking notes, slipping into some semblance of her routine. The days after a heat are usually a bit tough, lack of sleep and food taking their toll on the body, but this time she’s well rested. Content, even.

At lunch, she eats her sandwich at a nearby park with some friends from class, then they go to the library to try to catch up on some coursework. She dives into it and keeps working as one after the other her friends drop off with a ‘see you tomorrow’ or ‘don’t stay too late’. When the vibration of a text pulls her out from the zone, she’s genuinely surprised that it’s already 6 p.m. 

**Ben**

18.03

Will I be seeing you tonight?

She chews her lip as she tries to think of a reply. 

**Rey**

18.05

I will be staying with a friend. 

**Ben.**

18.06

Tomorrow then?

**Rey**

18.07

Going to movie night with Finn tomorrow. Sorry.

She doesn’t even know why she lies. 

**Ben**

18.08

I see. You are welcome if you change your mind. I hope you have a pleasant evening.

She chews her lip some more and furrows her brow. Is he upset? It’s a polite message but maybe it’s dismissive polite? Or I hate you now-polite. She hadn’t really promised him anything, had she? It was just sex. They'd both been aware of that. She puts her phone away, not wanting to examine her feelings too closely.

Accepting that her focus is lost for the evening, she stuffs the rest of her things into her backpack and heads towards the bus that will take her to the apartment Jess shares with another girl named Kaydel, a friend of hers from work.

Jess is one of Rey’s best friends from college. Rose had introduced them during her second year and the three of them had formed a kinship revolving around their love for good coffee and a hatred for the particular statistics software they were forced to endure during that course. From there on out it had been an easy friendship; late night study sessions, commiseration over unrequited crushes, sharing good meals and bad movies had knitted them together. 

Jessika opens at the first ring on her doorbell, greeting her with a smile and a warm hug. 

“Hey sweetie. How are you?”

Rey gives her a tired smile. “I don’t even know.”

“Tell me about it.” She takes a few steps back, letting her in. “We’ve made a curry. Hope you’re hungry.”

“Starving,” Rey says with a grin. All her friends know of her fondness for food.

“How was the heat?”

Rey freezes in the middle of the process of taking off her shoes.

“How did you know I had my heat?”

“Paige mentioned it. After you’d left last sunday.” Paige was Rose’s sister and an Alpha. They’d all been having brunch at the apartment they shared up in the Bronx as they did most Sundays. But that was more than a whole day before her heat had set it.

Rey just keeps staring at her. 

“What?”

“How the hell? _I_ didn’t even know!”

Jess’s mouth goes round. 

“Oh. She said she smelled it on you. I thought you just didn't want to say. And then you didn’t answer my texts last week.”

Rey keeps staring, feeling a little guilty about her lack of communication. She’d known that Alphas could smell when an Omega was in heat. Everyone knew that. But it was still weird.

“Is everything all right?” Jess is wringing her hands a little.

“Yeah, yeah. I just…” she finishes taking off her shoes and hangs her jacket on a hook. “Sorry I didn’t answer your texts. It was early. The heat. Like a month early. I didn’t know I was getting it.”

Jess gives her a commiserating look. “Oh, that sucks. I’m sorry.” Jess is a Beta, but she's never once been weird about Rey's designation. It's one of the things Rey respects about her.

Rey smiles. “Doesn’t matter. But good to know. I’ll have to ask her for a heads up next time.”

They spend the evening laughing and talking. Rey manages to avoid all mentions of Ben and doesn’t even think about him until she is curled up the pull out couch. He hasn’t texted her again, and she is not going to text him either. 

\---

The rest of the week passes in a blur. She stays two nights at Jess’s, then Finn and Poe invite her to stay in their now empty guest room for as long as she wants to. She doesn’t need to take them up on their offer however, because on Thursday evening her new bed arrives promptly as scheduled and she spends almost an hour gleefully incling her head and feet up and down. She wonders if she should text Ben a picture of it, but doesn’t. She’s not really sure where they stand right now. Maybe he was upset because she’d blown him off. _Had_ she blown him off? She feels a bit guilty about not seeing him and his key feels like it’s burning a hole through her pocket. The bed actually offers a perfect excuse to return it.

She rings his doorbell. Waits for while. Tries the doorbell again. There is no light on inside and after a few minutes of waiting she gives up. It’s almost 8 p.m. but he must be out tonight. She’ll have to come back. She texts him a picture of her new bed, but he doesn't reply.

\---

Friday night they all go out for drinks as they always do. Rey, Finn, Poe, Rose, Paige and Jess. Sometimes Kaydel, Jyn and her boyfriend Cassian join them, but not tonight. The company of her friends and the courage of the alcohol makes her give in when Finn asks her to tell them about her ‘sexy Alpha neighbor’. Everyone is appropriately scandalized and Paige and Poe both vow to tell her the next time she’s going into heat. Rey swats at them and they laugh about it together. 

Saturday morning she goes to the gym with Rose and Jess, then there is schoolwork, then dinner with Finn and Poe. Rey isn’t home until late. Not a good time to bother a neighbor. Especially one who doesn't answer texts.

Sunday mornings always mean brunch at Rose and Paige’s place. And since she missed the last week, she has to bring extra brownies. The weather is nice and so they spend almost all day lazing about in a park nearby. In the evening she has to do laundry. It’s not something she can put off, she rationalizes. Although, she doesn’t wash the t-shirt that still holds his scent that she’s kept and maybe smelled and worn once or twice. The earthy tones of _him_ just made her feel a little bit less alone. 

6 p.m. Tuesday night, she tries his doorbell again. He isn’t home now either.

7 p.m. Thursday night, she rings the doorbell for the third time. She waits. Then, she lets herself in. She feels a bit weird being in his apartment without him. It’s dark and feels empty and nobody answers when she calls out hello. He hasn’t replied to her texts (‘Hey, I need to return your key, are you home?’) and she’s feeling a bit testy, so she grabs a half empty tub of ice cream from his freezer. Just to make a point. 

\----

It’s friday night when he texts her. 

**Ben**

21.36

Did you eat my sorbet?

**Rey**

21.48

Why the frosty attitude?

21.49

And if you meant “did you eat my lies disguised as ice cream?” then yes

**Ben**

21.49

Sorbet is a kind of ice cream

**Rey**

21.52

For psychopaths maybe. Sorbet is to ice cream what milk snakes are to coral snakes. They look the same, but one is nice and the other will fuck your shit up.

Rey had majored in Biology. Sometimes it came in handy. Such times as when one tries to impart to their 'neighbor-that-they-fucked' what definitely does not qualify as ice cream.

**Ben**

21.58

It’s just ice cream, Rey. It will not “fuck your shit up.” Also, cool snakes.

**Rey**

21.59

The disappointment of it will.

**Ben**

22.01

What were you doing in my freezer again?

She smiles. Feeling lighter than she had all week. Then she quickly squashes the feeling.

**Ben**

22.04

Would you like to watch a movie?

The request takes her aback. Apart from these last few texts, she hasn’t heard from him at all. She worries her lip

**Rey**

22.06

Maybe a bit late for a movie. But we could watch one or two episodes of a tv-show maybe. :)

**Ben**

22.07

I’ve got both Netflix and HBO.

**Rey**

22.07

K. I’ll be up in a sec?

**Ben**

22.08

The door is open.

She pulls on a pair of sweatpants and drags a brush through her hair before grabbing his t-shirt heading up. His door is indeed left open when she arrives, so she walks right in, pushing it closed behind her. 

Ben is in the process of pouring potato chips into a bowl but he looks up as he sees her. He towers in the kitchen, she notices, making the definitely regular sized bag look small. She’d forgotten how _tall_ he was. _And wide,_ her brain supplies. _And with beatiful large hands._ Rey finds herself blushing a little when he smiles at her. Which is stupid.

“Hey gremlin,” he greets her.

She raises an eyebrow, but can’t help smiling back. 

“How about you go pick a show and I’ll be right there.” 

“Okay.” She wanders over to his sofa, while trying not to look at him in her periphery. The way his broad shoulders move as he walks about the kitchen just invite staring. She gives in after starting up his entertainment system. 

“I’ve been wanting to watch this show for a while, ‘Archer’. Maybe we can watch an episode or two, see if it’s any good?” she says, as he’s mixing something in a small bowl, his dark hair falling forward over his face.

“Sounds good.” 

Ben strides over, putting the chips and dip on the table, then he picks up the t-shirt she’s left next to her on the sofa. Rey desperately tries to remember if she’s accidentally masturbated while wearing it or something equally stupid which he’d smell, but she seems to be safe, because he just puts it over the back of the sofa before sitting down on the others side. 

“Alright,” he says.

“Alright.” 

She hits play.

\---

It’s late. They watched five episodes, laughing a lot, but now Ben has stopped it before autoplay could start the sixth one. Sometime during the evening her feet ended up in his lap, and his strong hands are kneading them absentmindedly. 

“Is this kind of thing what you usually watch?” she asks him. He shakes his head.

“I don’t have much time to watch tv-series.” Right. He’s busy. Working late or whatever. “I usually watch a movie if I have some time to spare,” he continues.

“What kind of movies?”

He shrugs.

“What’s your favorite movie?” He is pulling gently at the toes of her right foot, one by one, and his eyes are meeting hers.

“Bram stoker’s dracula” she says, without hesitation.

“Not heard of it.”

She nods. “Coppola directed it. It’s a bit unknown. It follows the novel quite well, but it’s way more romantic. All the special effects were made using these old school techniques he liked. Coppola I mean. And Gary Oldman stars is in it. He’s always fantastic.” 

“Mmh,” he agrees.

“What’s yours?” She pokes him lazily in the stomach with her foot.

“2001 a space odyssey.” 

Rey groans. 

“What?”

“Of course you’d have pretentious movie taste.”

“Says you, miss Coppola.” He grabs her feet and tickle her, and she laughs and squirms away from him. When she settles down again, he’s looking at her, something in his eyes sharp and intent. She feels her cheeks heat a little.

“I should probably go home.” 

He nods.

“It’s late.” She squirms. Just a little.

“It is.” 

He gets up from the sofa, reaching out a hand to help her up. 

As she stands, his scent surrounds her and she leans into him, almost feeling a bit dizzy. He smells so _interesting_. Then she takes a few quick steps away from him. Clearing her head. His face doesn’t give away any emotions.

“This was fun.” She walks over to the door, he follows behind her.

“It was. I enjoyed it.” His tone is low. Even. His face still doesn’t betray anything he’s feeling. Rey wonders what he’s thinking.

“Don’t watch ahead without me.”

“I won’t.” his smile is small, but his eyes warm.

“Goodnight,” she says, stepping out on the landing.

“Goodnight, Rey.” 

He stands in his doorway as she starts down the stairs, before closing it after her.

\---

She doesn’t hear from him until the next Friday.

**Ben**

17.36

Come by later? I’ll buy you pizza.

There is an attached picture of a DVD in the message: 

Bram Stoker’s Dracula - collector's edition.

**Rey**

18.24

OMG! :O <3<3<3

18.38

I promised Rose and Jessika that we’re going out later. =(

She bites her lip. Where did he even find that?

  
**Rey**

18.39

Can we do it tomorrow?

**Ben**

18.50

I am working tomorrow.

**Rey**

18.53

It’s Saturday tomorrow?

**Ben**

18.59

I am only too aware.

19.06

I’ll be free on Sunday.

You’re welcome to sleep here tonight by the way, when you get back. I’ll make you breakfast before I leave.

**Rey**

19.07

Sunday it is.

I will probably be drunk and nasty when I get home. 

See you sunday.

**Ben**

19.22

See you sunday.

\---

Rey hasn’t eaten much all day, and Rose is trying to get over a guy, so they go all in with the partying. The night begins at Rose’s apartment. Paige joins them and helps mix them sugary drinks, courtesy of a few years bartending, but waves them off when they move out to dance. Jess has picked a club notorious for Alphas eager to pick up Omegas. Rose is an Omega like Rey and Jess is really pretty so they’re all sure get plenty of attention.

Rose is making out with a guy after less than an hour, but Rey isn’t feeling it tonight. None of them smell nice to her. They don’t smell bad, per se. But they smell… meh. None of them particularly good. She decides to drow her sorrows and drags the girls with her to the bar. They don’t say no when Rose’s guy starts buying them shots.

\---

**Rey**

01.32

You ruind. Yo’u’r are a hot!11q

**Ben**

01.33

Are you drunk?

**Rey**

01.36

No!!!!!

01.37

Yes, she is very drunk. Ignore everything she writes. /Rose

01.38

I’m nott dfrunjk. Jsut a little..,,

**Ben**

01.39

Whatever you say. 

01.42

You’re still welcome to sleep here later, if you promise not to throw up in my bed. It would make me feel better knowing you got home safe.

**Rey**

01.43

I wil BARF omn ALL OF YOUE THINGSS!!

**Ben**

01.41

Consider the offer rescinded.

01.57

I’m going to bed. Please take a cab home, for my peace of mind.

**Rey**

01.58

I can care ofd myself. I am independent!!

**Ben**

01.59

I am aware.

01.59

There is left-over pizza in my fridge if you get hungry.

02.00

Good night.

\----

Rey is more than a little dizzy as she wobbles her way into the elevator. Rose and Jessika had shared a cab with her to her door, trusting her to make it from there. Rey presses the button for her floor. Then she presses the button for the top floor as well, for good measure. His key is still in her inner pocket.

When the elevator stops, her internal argument still isn’t concluded and takes long enough that the doors close and she is taken to the highest floor. Since it doesn’t go all the way to the penthouse, Rey gets off at the next highest landing. His flat is one set of stairs up. Hers two sets down. The math adds up. 

Rey noisily makes her way up the stairs.

She could have sworn the keyhole was never this small before. And that it used to stay more still. She does manage to get it in on the seventh try, only to discover that the door was left unlocked to begin with.

She tries to be discreet as the takes of her shoes and makes her way to the kitchen. Ben doesn’t come to greet her, so she decides she must have been successful. She’s just going to eat the pizza and get out. He will never even know she was here.

There is a whole pizza carton is his fridge. The pizza is untouched, and it has pineapples on it. Ben doesn’t like fruit on pizza, she thinks, he’d told her sometie during the heat, and then she feels a bit like crying. Then she remembers that she is still ambiguous about him, maybe even a bit mad because he smells so much better than literally all the other Alphas and that’s just really unfair, so she stops herself.

The microwave is not cooperating. The fancy machine just blinks and beeps loudly at her, and no matter how many buttons she presses, the pizza slice is still stubbornly not spinning. It’s just sitting there, defiant. She ponders the merits of eating it cold.

A large hand reaches over her shoulder, and Rey jumps. A second hand steadies her, as the first one presses three buttons on the microwave, making it start with a hum, the pizza now revolving lazily inside.

Rey watches it for a bit, entranced, before remembering-

“BEN!” she says as she turns around.

He winces at her voice and she realized she must have been shouting.

“Sorry.” she whispers and grins widely at him.

Ben is just shaking his head. “Gremlin.” he mutters, as he lets go of her arm, pours a very large glass of water then hands it to her. He’s only dressed in pyjama pants and she can’t help but watch his abs as he moves.

She starts to gulp it down, trying to show him that she is very responsible and does drink enough water when she gets home, please and thank you. 

He tries to stop her, telling her to go slowly, so out of spite, Rey downs it all down in one go. She looks triumphantly up at him and he looks slightly pained. He’s very hot when he’s just woken up. Although he does look very tired. She takes pity on him and takes a step towards him.

Her stomach rolls.

She barely manages to get to the toilet before she’s puking her guts up. She can feel Ben grabbing her hair, holding it out of the way for her and mortification digs its claws into her. Unfortunately, her stomach doesn’t care, and she throws up again and again, ejecting all the tortilla chips and bad decisions she’s devoured during the evening.

When she’s finished, Ben helps her undress and then gently guides her into the shower. She protests and says that she only needs the sleep and the pizza.

“I’m sorry, gremlin," his voice is soft. Almost a whisper. "But you stink of some other assholes and I can't have that in my bed.”

His hands are soft as he washes her hair and she’s almost falling asleep under the warm spray. He dries her then dresses her in a large t-shirt. It’s the gray one with the ghost-busters logo on it. 

“Nerd,” she sighs happily, as he lifts her into his arms and carries her to his bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to all of you who give kudos and comments. Really, the comments is the life. 
> 
> Stuff will happen soon. There's just a lot of fluff happening first.
> 
> Thank you!


End file.
